


Apologies

by Nik



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-20
Updated: 2011-11-20
Packaged: 2017-10-26 08:17:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/280796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nik/pseuds/Nik
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after E04S08/Lamia. The Knights apologise to Merlin in the best way they know how, and Arthur absolutely has nothing to do with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Apologies

Gwaine is the first.

"Come to the tavern," he says. It is the first thing he has said to Merlin since the she-devil-who-must-not-be-named was killed and they returned to Camelot.

Merlin's eyes narrow over the armour he is polishing on the bench. He hasn't quite forgiven Gwaine for waving that torch dangerously close to his face yet. "Why?"

"Why? Because I want you to," Gwaine huffs. He strides over to the warlock and unashamedly hauls him up by his sensitive underarms and pulls him all the way out of the castle and through the town, ignoring Merlin's flailing and kicks and protests of  _Arthur already thinks I am an alcoholic, let’s not add fuel to the flame_ and  _I need to finish my duties_ and  _I don’t want anything thrown at me, please, Gwaine._

But Merlin actually has a really good time, though he doesn't admit to as much. He keeps quiet, not even to say that he knows that Gwaine has brought him to the tavern because alcohol and busy environments and girls are the only way Gwaine knows how to apologise without actually saying the word. Merlin doesn't say anything when Arthur doesn’t complain the next morning that his armour wasn't ready when it should have been, and he doesn't say anything when Arthur doesn't once crack a joke about Merlin's no-longer-non-existent friends in the tavern. He doesn't say anything because he has a massive hangover and he can barely see straight.

He is still nursing his hangover when Percival finds him the next afternoon and picks him up in the same fashion Gwaine wanted to but couldn't quite manage and carries him to the same tavern. The barmaid looks at Merlin suspiciously through her thick hair, but she serves him anyway, and he has to pointedly ignore her glares at him. It is, after all, the second knight he has come to the tavern with during the space of two days, and he really needs to stop this otherwise he will no longer be the King's manservant and his reputation will be tarnished and he will never recover from the alcoholic stupor he has–

"I'm sorry," Percival says after ten minutes of uncomfortable silence.

It turns out that they all remember the incident of the she-devil-who-must-not-be-named and that their memories were not conveniently wiped after they snapped out of the enchantment that made them forget they were brothers and goddamn Merlin needs to stop drinking because he can't even think straight let alone see–

"I don't know what came over me. Well, I do, but it wasn't me, you know that... I really – Merlin, do you forgive me? I mean, I'd never do that on purpose, you know I wouldn't. I'm really, really sorry if I hurt you–"

Percival has never sounded less eloquent in his life (honestly, Lancelot would have been so disappointed) and Merlin almost finds him endearing, but he has to cut across him and say quickly, "It's fine, Perce, really. I understand."

Percival's features light up and his eyes dance as he grins happily. Really, it is unfair how such a tall man, a giant knight with those big guns he calls arms can look like a teddy bear and still be able to crush someone at the same time.

"Thanks, Merlin."

Arthur doesn't say anything when Merlin wakes him up two hours late the next day and has forgotten to bring his breakfast. He grunts and he moans as he usually does when he wakes up, but he says, "I'll have Guinevere bring something up," and he doesn’t say anything other than that, not even when Merlin walks out of the King's chambers with laundry bundled in his arms looking as if somebody has kicked his puppy.

Elyan finds him, then, and after a long, heated discussion about how he disapproves of Gwen having a relationship, even if it is with his friend and lord King Arthur Pendragon, he allows Merlin to agree (because he _does_ agree – he disapproves, too, even if Gwen is one his best friends, he disapproves so much) and then Elyan takes the laundry from his arms and they walk together to the bottom of the castle. Merlin feels lost and free without the burden and smiles gratefully when Elyan stays with him and talks to him as he washes and even helps out a little bit, even if the knight has next to no idea what he is doing, but admittedly it is a damn sight more than Arthur.

Afterwards, he claps Merlin on the back in what he probably thinks is a friendly gesture but actually sends Merlin flying across the room and he leaves with a smile that is much like Percival’s from the night before.

"You took a long time," Arthur says when Merlin returns laundry-free. He's sitting at his table, eating an assortment of fruits and cheese and ham and bread.

"I was with Elyan."

Arthur's frowning slightly as he nods. “Right.”

Merlin wonders whether Arthur knows that Elyan secretly wants to rip him limb from limb and hide Gwen away with Mary and John in Longstead and keep her there until she is old, wrinkly and grey. He wonders whether he should say anything, but instead he keeps quiet and holds his smirk and hopes.

He is still hungover and he could happily sleep on his feet to fight the sickness he feels, but he feels marginally better after imagining Elyan letting rip on Arthur.

Arthur finishes his meal and goes to the training field.

It is much later, just as he is leaving Arthur’s chambers and whistling a merry tune, when Leon finds him.

They go to the tavern. Merlin doesn’t have the heart to protest or ask why he is not in council with Arthur and Arthur’s scheming hairy rat of an uncle.

"I'm sure it's not healthy to visit the tavern three days in a row," Merlin says as he lounges haphazardly front-first over the bar and ignores the disapproving, judgemental barmaid again. He is well aware it is the third knight in three days.  _If only they weren't straight_ , he nearly says to the woman.

Leon claps him on the back, and Merlin nearly actually  _slides_ over the bar. "It's not, mate."

"So why –"

"I wanted to apologise. I know it’s not the most original way to do it, but several tankards of mead solve everything, right?"

"Er, right. Does it solve hangovers?" Merlin asks.

Leon laughs. "Solves it enough to put it off until the next morning, at least," he says.

Merlin chugs the mead in several impressive gulps, and then Leon says he can do better than that, and then they are laughing and Leon is clipping him over the ear and ruffling his hair and they are challenging each other and getting mighty drunk and Merlin doesn't even remember falling into bed that night when he wakes up the next morning in his small box of a room.

After throwing up and all but snatching a remedy from the old physician's clasp, Merlin is back to work and just as he is throwing up out of Arthur's window, Arthur walks in.

 _"Merlin."_

"Sire," Merlin croaks. "I'm fine, really–"

 _"Merlin,"_ he says again, and then, "Honestly, how much did you drink last night?"

"Enough to not remember the last few days."

"Bloody hell, you idiot."

"It's not my fault!" Merlin cries loudly, and then he throws up again, and it's only when he's tucked up in Arthur's bed and snuggling against his side does he say, "It's your bloody knights. You should have them all flogged. Apart from Elyan. Not Elyan.”

"Do you have a soft spot for Elyan, Merlin?" Arthur teases lightly.

"No," Merlin mumbles against his skin. "No! He didn’t take me to that god awful tavern, is all."

"Gods, Merlin, did Leon, Percival  _and_ Gwaine apologise by taking you to the tavern?" Arthur demands, and he's frowning—Merlin knows he's frowning without even having to look up and remember that he shouldn't be this close to Arthur and especially not on the bed but he really doesn't care. He really doesn't.

"Of course Gwaine did."

"Of course Gwaine did," Arthur repeats.

"Of course Gwaine—" Merlin begins childishly, and then he freezes and something that is not the urge to vomit pulls at his stomach. "How did you know they were apologising?"

Arthur clears his throat. "They told me during training. Said they were really nasty to you, or something."

"Arthur."

"Oh, alright. I told them to, of course."

"Of course," Merlin says. He's quite happy if he never has to say ‘of course’ again.

"Guinevere said you had a really rough time when you were… when the whole… you know.  _Thing_." He's gesturing wildly at the side of Merlin's head. "With the thing. Y’know.”

"Of course she did," Merlin says because he can't help himself, nor the dull tone that works itself into his voice. Did he make them apologise to her, too?

"Don't be like that, Merlin, you  _know_  how it is—"

"I know."

Merlin can't wait until Elyan finds the balls to confront Arthur.  In fact, he might very well go and find the knight now and drag him by his stupid cloak to these very chambers and hide Arthur's sword while he’s at it and watch as—

"Merlin."

"No, no. I know, Arthur."

Arthur sighs and then shifts slightly; it's enough to pull Merlin to his chest and hold him there tightly. Merlin's head spins as he does it, but it's Arthur, and he still doesn't really care. He's never drinking again. He's going to that barmaid and he's telling her to ban him from the tavern and not let him in ever again and just for the record, he's going to tell her that he's not actually shagging—

"I know they were under an enchantment but that doesn't excuse their behaviour towards you. They were out of line." Arthur's voice is angry and strained and offended as he strokes Merlin's damp hair from his forehead and spits out his words, but his touch is gentle and loving and comforting and Merlin could just fall asleep right here instead of on his feet. "Completely out of line. So I told them to apologise."

 _More like threatened,_  Merlin thinks, but he's happy to think about the point of Arthur's sword at the knight's chests, because although Merlin knows that it was an enchantment, he couldn't help but feel indignant and angry on the trip with the she-devil every time he was berated and threatened and smacked down.

"Thank you, sire. I'm not sure if getting me drunk was the best way to go about it, though."

"I bet you didn't even drink that much, you idiot. You can’t handle it."

"I can so. Prat," Merlin mutters, and he sleeps as Arthur holds him after deciding that drinking again might not be such a bad after all.


End file.
